Anchorage· Kauai· Hawaii

Hanalei Bay Anchorage

22° 12.6′ N · 159° 30.0′ W

Kauai's classic summer anchorage: a mile-wide crescent of sand with mountains rising past 4,000 feet three miles inland, with the old Hanalei Pier, a river to explore by dinghy and a surf town a short walk away. It is the natural staging point for the Na Pali coast and the usual last stop for boats heading back to the mainland.

Practical

Position is Noodle's Notes' anchorage GPS (22-12.57N 159-30.03W): 12-50 ft over sand, good holding. Coast Pilot: midbay anchorage in 6 fathoms, sandy bottom; good protection from the trades when the sea is calm. Rules (HAR 13-256-39): anchoring or mooring is allowed ONLY inside the designated mooring area, which starts at the northwest corner of Hanalei Pier and runs along the northeast side of the bay (boundary courses in the rule; check DOBOR's Exhibit C). An approved, working marine sanitation device is required to anchor or stay aboard. Slow-no-wake within 500 ft of shore, in the ingress/egress zones, in the mooring area and on the Hanalei River. Swimming zones B-1 (300 ft either side of the pier) and B-2 (off the county park pavilion) are closed to all vessels. Dinghies may land only through the two ingress/egress zones (Zone 1 at the pavilion park, Zone 2 across the river mouth to Black Pot Park); Noodle recommends landing just inside the Hanalei River by the canoe houses on the south bank and locking dinghy and outboard to a tree (theft reported). DOBOR: seasonal offshore moorings May-October, permits required; contact the Kauai District Office (808) 241-3111 before arriving. Vessels over 75 ft are barred from the bay (Act 280, 2025). No fuel or water dock; provisions at the Hanalei supermarket a short walk away.

Best for

Summer base for Hanalei town, the river and day runs down Na Pali

Season

May-Sep; untenable in winter and spring north swell (Coast Pilot: seas break across the whole entrance in N or NW gales)

Practical

Best for

Season

Nearby